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Podcast EP49: Where Semifore fits in the design flow

Podcast EP49: Where Semifore fits in the design flow
by Daniel Nenni on 11-17-2021 at 10:00 am

Dan and Mike are joined by Rich Weber, co-founder and CEO of Semifore. Rich describes what the hardware/software interface is, where it fits in the design flow and the importance of a well-documented and robust design. He touches on industry standards, where they help and how Semifore’s products complete the flow. RIch … Read More


Register Management is the Foundation of Every Chip

Register Management is the Foundation of Every Chip
by Mike Gianfagna on 11-17-2021 at 6:00 am

Register Management is the Foundation of Every Chip

Virtually every chip today runs software. And that software needs to interact with and control the hardware on the chip. There are typically many interfaces to manage as well as dedicated hardware accelerators to coordinate. In fact, many of those hardware accelerators are present only to support the execution of the software… Read More


Where is the Monument of the Silicon Glen?

Where is the Monument of the Silicon Glen?
by Asen Asenov on 11-16-2021 at 10:00 am

NEC Plant Livingston

In 1991, I arrived in Glasgow to become a lecturer in Glasgow University, attracted by the Silicon Glen – the heart of semiconductor manufacturing in Europe. Here are few facts:

  • The larges semiconductor plant in Europe at that time was the NEC DRAM manufacturing site in Livingstone. When I visited the plant, I was mesmerized
Read More

Siemens EDA Automotive Insights, for Analysts

Siemens EDA Automotive Insights, for Analysts
by Bernard Murphy on 11-16-2021 at 6:00 am

Siemens auto electronics min

There is a classical approach to EDA marketing, and semiconductor marketing at times, which aims exclusively at technical customers and the businesspeople immediately around those experts. The style is understandable and necessary. Those folks are the direct influencers and buyers of the products we are promoting, so we must… Read More


Tessent Streaming Scan Network Brings Hierarchical Scan Test into the Modern Age

Tessent Streaming Scan Network Brings Hierarchical Scan Test into the Modern Age
by Tom Simon on 11-15-2021 at 10:00 am

Streaming Scan Network

Remember when you had to use dial up internet or parallel printer cables connected directly to the printer to print something? Well even if you don’t remember these things, you know that now there is a better way. Regrettably, the prevalent methods used for hierarchical Design for Test (DFT) still look at lot like this – SoC level … Read More


A MIPI CSI-2/MIPI D-PHY Solution for AI Edge Devices

A MIPI CSI-2/MIPI D-PHY Solution for AI Edge Devices
by Kalar Rajendiran on 11-15-2021 at 6:00 am

Tradeoffs Edge vs Cloud

In late September, the MIPI Alliance held their DevCon conference as a virtual event. There were several excellent presentations at the conference. One of those was titled “A MIPI CSI-2/MIPI D-PHY Solution for AI Edge Devices” by Ashraf Takla of Mixel. Looking at the daily volume of technology news about applications moving to… Read More


Revisiting EUV Lithography: Post-Blur Stochastic Distributions

Revisiting EUV Lithography: Post-Blur Stochastic Distributions
by Fred Chen on 11-14-2021 at 10:00 am

Revisiting EUV Lithography Post Blur Stochastic Distributions

In previous articles, I had looked at EUV stochastic behavior [1-2], primarily in terms of the low photon density resulting in shot noise, described by the Poisson distribution [3]. The role of blur to help combat the randomness of EUV photon absorption and secondary electron generation and migration was also recently considered… Read More


US Supply Chain Data Request Elicits a Range of Responses, from Tight-Lipped to Uptight

US Supply Chain Data Request Elicits a Range of Responses, from Tight-Lipped to Uptight
by Craig Addison on 11-14-2021 at 6:00 am

China TSMC Supply chain woes 2021

TSMC drew the ire of Chinese state media last week after it complied with the US Department of Commerce request to submit supply chain data by the November 8 deadline.

The Chinese reports, which called it an act of “surrender” to US hegemony, were careful in laying blame on Taipei for caving in to Washington, rather than pointing fingers… Read More


Podcast EP48: Wally Rhines on the Morris Chang Award and $50M for Cornami

Podcast EP48: Wally Rhines on the Morris Chang Award and $50M for Cornami
by Daniel Nenni on 11-12-2021 at 10:00 am

Dan is joined by Dr. Wally Rhines. Dan discusses the recent announcement that Wally is the newest recipient of the Dr. Morris Chang Exemplary Leadership Award. The meaning of the award and some history of Morris Chang and TSMC are discussed. The recent funding round for Cornami, led by SoftBank, is also discussed. What is Cornami… Read More


Taiwan Semiconductor Outlook May 1988

Taiwan Semiconductor Outlook May 1988
by Daniel Nenni on 11-12-2021 at 6:00 am

James E. Dykes

This is an interesting piece of TSMC history. From 1987 to 1988 James E. Dykes served as the first President and Chief Executive Officer of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Ltd.

Taiwan Semiconductor Outlook
by James E. Dykes
President & Chief Executive Officer
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company

Given… Read More